Kaguvi

Kaguvi or less correctly, Kagubi (the latter confusion due to the unique nature of the pronunciation of the "v" in the Shona language), was a "lion spirit" or "mhondoro" of the Zezuru Shona people of Zimbabwe. The name is also given to the spirit's medium, a man called Gumboreshumba (c1870-1898) who was one of the leaders of the Shona Rebellion against European rule in 1896-1897.

Gumboreshumba (meaning: The foot/claw of a lion) also known as Kagubi, lived in Chikwaka's Kraal in the Goromonzi Hill, near Harare Zimbabwe. He was obviously a man of some substance in the area. He was married to a daughter of Chief Mashonganyika whose kraal (or homestead) was some three miles to the south of the Goromonzi Hill and he also had wives from the kraal of headman Gondo which is also in the vicinity of Goromonzi Hill. He became known as a supplier of good luck in hunting and was able to speak to people “from the trees and the rocks”. He was believed to be the spirit husband of the other great Shona spirit, Nehanda. He was a powerful spirit medium and, along with Nehanda and Mukwati, he was instrumental in organizing the first Mashonaland resistance, known as the Second Matabele War in the West and as the First Chimurenga in Zimbabwe. When the rebellion collapsed, Kaguvi was charged with the murder of a policeman (whom he had accused of collaborating with the Colonial authorities), found guilty and hanged.

The eye section of Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare under UZ is named in honour of Kaguvi and his medium.

References

*Rasmussen, R.K., and Rubert, S.C., 1990. "Historical Dictionary of Zimbabwe", Scarecrow Press.

External links

* [http://www.bulawayo1872.com/history/kaguvisekuru.htm Life and Times of Sekuru Kaguvi]